• Hawai‘i part of America, for better or worse • Why are garbage trucks so loud? • Upset with airport security • Friend hooks keys locked in car Hawai‘i part of America, for better or worse In response to Mr.
• Hawai‘i part of America, for better or worse
• Why are garbage trucks so loud? •
Upset with airport security • Friend hooks
keys locked in car
Hawai‘i part of America, for better or worse
In response to Mr. Trask’s (“U.S. stole — not saved — Hawai‘i”) and Mr. Acain’s (“America stole Hawai‘i”) letters of 9/18. King Kahehameha conquered all of the Hawaiian Islands (except Kaua‘i) by force, killing thousands of Native Hawaiians (including the over 2,000 driven to their death on the pali of O‘ahu). The Marines fired not one shot nor killed one person in 1893.
Right or wrong, this was 117 years ago — get over it! In 1950 the majority of Hawaiians VOTED to become the 50th state of the U.S.A (not “U.S of A’s” as was stated — one can only imagine what derogatory term was intended!).
When you collect your Social Security, have your hospital bills paid via Medicare, turn on your tap and get clean water, and drive on good roads, remember that the money came from that “horrible” place you so easily slander and degrade! Japan would have over run and enslaved Hawai‘i as they did the Philippines, Guam and most of the Pacific Islands during WWII if not for the U.S.A.
Like it or not, you are an AMERICAN citizen — show some respect, and be grateful for what you have! There are 50 million people in the world ready to take your place! (By the way, neither Pepe Trask nor Dominic Acain sounds very Hawaiian in origin?)
Barry Dittler, Wailua
Why are garbage trucks so loud?
Tomorrow is garbage day. That’s a good thing. Remembering it made me think again about how loud garbage trucks are. I have occasionally wondered if garbage trucks are so loud because it is a required traditional thing, or is noise pollution just an overlooked attribute.
I finally asked Google if there was any hope in the future. First I found an explanation of why they are the way they are. I guess diesel is an efficient engine for the kind of duty they serve, and diesels are inherently noisy because of their high compression and their large displacement. It was also noted that they seemed even louder because of their operation in the early morning. I couldn’t help wondering why that was seen as a reason to excuse the noise rather than an additional reason to do something about it.
So I checked another Google reference, and found that there are new trucks that are quiet. One from Volvo was a hybrid. It doesn’t use the engine until after 12 mph, which covers most of the driving from driveway to driveway. It uses electric regenerative brakes rather than the squeaky hydraulic ones. And it saves 20 percent to 30 percent on fuel with all its hybrid goodies.
So, to the powers that be, when it’s time to do any garbage-truck replacement, PLEASE look into this and give some weight to the noise.
Bob Hickling, Princeville
Upset with airport security
I am beyond words as my girlfriend and I just dropped off her dad at the airport at 9 p.m. this evening. He is 75 years old and needed assistance getting to the agriculture checkpoint. As one of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) officers was kind enough to take a departing photo of us, one of the other officers told us that our car was being ticketed. With our car still running, I approached the ticketing officer who would not give his name and whose ID number is not even legible on my copy of the citation makes me suspicious as to the way things are being handled at our airport. The only thing legible is the citation number and the $70.00 fine that I have been instructed to pay. I asked several times for his name and badge number that he said would be on the citation only to find that it was illegible. We were curbside for less than three minutes, but regardless he was obviously under the instruction of the questionable airport management that is being currently investigated. I will be pursuing this action and am considering harassment charges available and will contest in the court of law. This treatment of passenger drop off is unacceptable and should not be suffered by those of us trying to get our family dropped off safely at the airport. I hope the judge that presides over this case sees the entrapment that we fell victim of.
Ty Holmes, Lawa‘i
Friend hooks keys locked in car
About two weeks ago, I was in the parking lot of Costco, when I saw my sister-in-law Gail and my niece Chelsie approaching their car. I was so happy that I jumped out of my van, taking my cell phone and my debit/Costco card and slammed my door shut. After hugs and farewells, I went back to my van to get my keys that I soon realized they were locked in my van!!! I hollered to Gail and tried to call family living nearby to no avail. Gail hollered out to Chris Malone and his wife and shared what had happened. Chris became our hero for the day, taking a fishing pole and gently sticking it threw my very-slim, partially opened window and latched it on to my keys. YEAH Chris. I told you I would thank you in The Garden Island newspaper and even if you were humbled by the laughter it brought, I meant it! Mahalo for your quick thoughts on taking care of this matter! Mahalo Jesus for angels like Chris.
Grateful,
LaVerne Corpuz, ‘Ele‘ele
